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Rabat – A German labor court ruled Friday in favor of Anwar El Ghazi, the Moroccan-Dutch footballer, in a case against Bundesliga club Mainz. The court asserted that Mainz FC unfairly terminated the player’s contract over social media comments related to the Israeli war on Gaza.
El Ghazi’s statements, including the slogan “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” were protected by freedom of expression, the ruling emphasized.
It deemed Mainz FC’s decision to dismiss him invalid, stating that the club did not legally terminate the “employment relationship.”
As a result, the court ordered Mainz FC to compensate El Ghazi with a payment exceeding €1.5 million ($1.63 million).
El Ghazi faced widespread backlash when he shared posts advocating for Palestinian rights, including from his club, which decided to suspend him.
The later club issued a statement saying the player would return after “explicitly distancing himself” from the comments.
In response, El Ghazi said on social media: “I do not regret or have any remorse for my position.” This prompted the club to terminate his contract.
Several other players, particularly those of Arab and Muslim descent like El Ghazi, have similarly encountered harassment and career repercussions for expressing solidarity with Palestine.
Last year, German media outlets, notably Bild, harshly criticized Moroccan footballer Noussair Mazraoui, who plays for Bayern Munich, for expressing support for Palestine. Bild accused Mazraoui of supporting terrorism and questioned his suitability as a role model.
Meanwhile, France’s Minister of the Interior Gerald Darmanin accused former Real Madrid player Karim Benzema of having ties with the “Muslim Brotherhood” after he expressed support for Palestine.
